You Are Loved Don't Give Up
by do i need a pen name
Summary: Sirius and Marlene became the best of friends their first year at Hogwarts. Because of their friendship they were able to stick together through the ups and downs of life, side by side. implied SiriusMarlene later chapters. COMPLETE
1. First Year

**a/n-So this was originally going to be a one-shot, but it turned out way too long, and I was only half done with it. So now it's going to be a multi-chapter fic, most likely with 8 parts: 7 years at Hogwarts and an Epilogue. I haven't finished 7th year yet, so it's still up in the air whether or not there's going to be an epilogue. Also, it's going to be all about the relationship between Sirius Black and Marlene McKinnon, who my friend An-Jelly-Ca and I have decided were a couple at Hogwarts. But anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer--Never owned Harry Potter, never will. Oh yeah, and I don't own the lyrics to 'You are Loved (Don't Give Up)' which is by Josh Groban.**

**You Are Loved Don't Give Up**

**First Year**

After having ditched his cousin Narcissa and her boyfriend Lucius Malfoy once aboard the Hogwarts Express, Sirius had almost immediately found a new friend in a boy named James Potter. The two eleven-year olds had shared the same love of Quidditch, and the same excitement at finally being able to attend Hogwarts.

Though they had gotten along to begin with, Sirius got the impression that James was a bit uncomfortable with the fact that the entire Black family had been in Slytherin. James' goal in life was to be in Gryffindor, just like his dad. Sirius' goal was to not be in Slytherin, but he didn't mention that.

Sirius was rather regretting that now, as he stood by himself in a side room just off of the Great Hall. He had gotten separated from James as they got off the train, and at first he had thought it was just an accident. But even now Sirius could plainly see James conversing excitedly with a sandy-haired boy whose back was the Sirius. Sirius knew there was no way James couldn't see him, so it was with a heavy heart that he concluded his family heritage had lost him his very first friend at Hogwarts.

"Hello!" A voice said brightly from behind Sirius.

Sirius jumped visibly at the sudden voice, which could only be addressing him, as he was standing quite alone. He turned to see a red-haired girl standing there with a wide grin upon her face.

"Hello," The girl said again, though not as loud this time, "I'm Marlene McKinnon. Who're you?"

"Erm…Sirius Black." Sirius said slowly.

The girl stuck out a hand and Sirius shook it cautiously. Why was this girl being so friendly towards him?

"I thought you looked rather lonely over here." Marlene said suddenly, almost as if she were answering Sirius' unspoken question. "So I thought I'd come over and talk to you. I don't really have any friends here yet, either, so we're in the same boat I suppose." Her smile seemed to get even brighter as she spoke. "So, what house do you want to be in?"

"Er…I don't really know." Sirius said honestly. "But definitely not Slytherin. I want to get as far away from my cousins as possible."

Marlene laughed, and for some reason Sirius found himself wanting to laugh along with her.

"I think Gryffindor sounds great." Marlene informed him. "I bet you'd be good in there."

"Gryffindor…" Sirius murmured. A smile seemed to grow on his face. "Gryffindor would be perfect."

"That settles it, then." Marlene declared just as the door to the chamber opened with a wide grin. "You and I are going to be in Gryffindor together, Sirius. Deal?"

"Deal." Sirius replied, just as the professor at the door called for silence. If possible, his smile was even bigger than Marlene's was.

_Don't give up_

_It's just the weight of the world_

_When your heart's heavy_

_I…I will lift it for you_


	2. Second Year

**a/n-so, I will admit, it was just a tad depressing to get a grand total of one review for the first chapter, but I've put that behind me and decided to update. I'm thinking that the reason not to many people are reading this is because of the pairing. However, if you go read the stories I'm co-authoring with An-Jelly-Ca (which you can find the links for on my profile) then you can read more about the wonderfully amazing pairing that is Sirius and Marlene. Of course, if you're still not convinced, then I feel that I should tell you that our two stories are actually about all of the Marauders and Lily too, not just Marlene and Sirius. However, you all probably don't care, so I'll just stop typing now. Enjoy the chapter!**

**Disclaimer-I don't own Harry Potter or the lyrics to the song "Don't Give Up (You Are Loved)" which is by Josh Groban.**

**Second Year**

"Hey Sirius!" A twelve-year old Marlene said enthusiastically to Sirius as she sat across from him on the train.

It was September first, and they were about to leave for their second year at Hogwarts.

"You're here awfully early," commented Marlene. "You know the train doesn't leave until eleven, right?"

Sirius did not respond in any way to Marlene's comment. He merely continued to stare blankly out of the compartment window. Marlene frowned slightly at this. She leaned forward and waved her hand in front of Sirius' face. It took a moment, but he finally blinked, and looked shocked to see her sitting before him.

"Oh, hey Marlene." He said slowly. "I didn't know you were there."

At this, Marlene's frown became even more pronounced. "Why are you so gloomy, Sirius? You're being all…serious. And the perfect word to describe your mood is black. That's not good you know. I thought you didn't want to live up to your name."

"I don't." Sirius said shortly. "But being that way ruined my summer."

Marlene was silent for a moment. Then, "What happened?"

Sirius shrugged. "The better question would be, what didn't happen? The answer would be everything. I wasn't too miffed that I didn't get any mail last year, and I really didn't mind staying at school and away from the family Christmas. But I didn't really realize how…mad my parents were about my being in Gryffindor."

"Oh…" Marlene said slowly. "I'd forgotten they were obsessed with Slytherin. Did they totally ignore you all summer?"

Sirius nodded. "It wasn't too bad, I suppose. I can't say I ever really liked my parents; they're too obsessed with all of that pureblood rubbish. But spending all summer reading old copies of _Witch Weekly _and the _Daily Prophet_ that Kreacher never threw away can get pretty old pretty fast."

"You should have owled me." Marlene said, as if that were the obvious solution. "I would've sent your parents a howler, telling them to be…more accepting of your house."

A faint grin appeared on Sirius' face. "That would have ensured quite a bit of conversation with my parents…quite a bit of _loud_ conversation. You may have gotten a howler in return, as well."

Marlene laughed. "I told you we were doing this Gryffindor thing together, didn't I, Sirius?"

"Yeah." Sirius said, rolling his eyes and sounding very exasperated. "I just didn't know it was going to give me so much free time at home."

"One day, Sirius," Marlene vowed solemnly, "One day we'll be able shout it out to the world that we're proud Gryffindors. And the world is going to listen."

_Don't give up_

_Because you want to be heard_

_If silence keeps you_

_I…I will break it for you_


	3. Third Year

**a/n-Today is officially the best day ever, just because I say so, so I'm updating! I hope you're all enjoying the story so far. Uhm... I think I should let you know that I am of the opinion that you should all go read the stories I'm co-authoring with An-Jelly-Ca which also feature the main characters of this story. But back to this story...I shall attempt to update soonish. However, fourth year is the only chapter for which i have nothing written yet, so...I'll attempt to get on that. Enjoy the chapter!**

**Disclaimer-I claim no ownership of Harry Potter, because, well, I'd imagine it's illegal for me to claim to be someone who I most definitely am not. On a similar note, I do not own the lyrics to 'You Are Love (Don't Give Up)' which is by Josh Groban.**

**Third Year**

"Sirius!" Marlene cried upon entering the common room after dinner to find Sirius sitting by himself in front of the fire. "How was your Christmas? And where were you on the train? I couldn't find you. Don't tell me your parents made you walk back to school like they've been threatening…"

Sirius snorted. "I think I would have preferred that; I couldn't escape Narcissa and her crowd on the train. They're still trying to get me to demand to be resorted, though I can't imagine why they'd even want me in their stupid house. And anyway, that was the lousiest Christmas I've ever had; I don't know what I was thinking, going home. I knew things would turn out like they did, I just knew it. But no, I had to believe my parents would show me even the slightest shred of decency."

"Did they lay it on really thick about Regulus getting into Slytherin?" Marlene asked, concern showing on her face.

"Thick?" Sirius questioned. "I was practically drowning in it! It was a miracle I survived. And the thing that really got me was that they didn't even try to hide it from me how much more they were favoring him."

"Lousy presents?"

"Well, other than what you and the other guys sent me, I got two books on the dark arts, one from my parents and one from my cousins and their parents. And Regulus! Well, he didn't give me anything! And it's not like I'm being greedy about it, but he's my only brother, we've been best friends since forever." Sirius sighed, shaking his head and looking away from Marlene. She didn't even have to guess to know that he was trying to hide the tears welling in his eyes, which she tactfully chose to ignore anyway. "He said he didn't want to anger mother and father by getting me anything I might like."

Sirius fell silent for a moment, and Marlene didn't say anything, letting him sort through the chaos raging within his head. He sighed again and looked his friend straight in the eye.

"Marlene," He began, sounding as if he had totally given up on the world. It was much to old of a sound for a thirteen-year-old. "I don't think Regulus and I are going to make it through all of this. He's way too devoted to doing everything mother and father tell him to do. I just know he's going to become a dark wizard, as much as I don't like it. He's my only brother, but there's nothing I can do to help him."

"There's always hope, Sirius." Marlene said, trying to comfort him, but knowing all the while it wouldn't work. "Look at Andromeda. I think she turned out wonderfully after the way she was raised. Maybe when Regulus gets older he'll meet a girl and fall madly in love with her and find out that she's a muggleborn and decide he doesn't care about all of that blood purity madness and then run away with her to get married and then have a kid with his muggleborn wife."

"And get disowned." Sirius added dryly. "That's awfully optimistic of you, you know."

Marlene shrugged, a faint grin upon her face. "It's what I'm here for. My optimism shows that I care about you. It's what friends are for."

_Everybody wants to be understood_

_Well I can hear you_

_Everybody wants to be loved_

_Don't give up_

_Because you are loved_


	4. Fourth Year

****

a/n-so, this turned out just a tad bit longer than i had intended, but i hope you like it. please review!

Disclaimer-I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own the lyrics to You Are Loved (Don't Give Up) which is by Josh Groban.

Fourth Year

"I think there's something wrong, Mars." Sirius announced, collapsing onto the couch beside the red-head, who had previously been absorbed in her homework.

"With?" Marlene asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Well, for starters," Sirius began, "What self-respecting person does their homework, let alone do it in an area accessible to the public—such as the common room—where anyone can see you committing such an unforgivable attrocity?"

Marlene looked at Sirius with concern. "You've just come from the kitchens, haven't you?"

"Not the point here." Sirius said with a wave of his hand. "What is the point, however, is that it's a beautiful day, but it's quiet…much too quiet. What do you say we change that?"

Marlene frowned. "Where are James, Remus, and Peter?"

"Remus is studying, Jamsie is stalking Evans, and Peter is off doing…something else…" Sirius replied, giving his hand another wave as if to say his friends current actions were of no concern to him at this exact moment in time. Which, really and truly, they weren't. "I wanna have some fun, though, Mars. Wanna have some fun with me? We can go bother the Slytherins! Doesn't that sound like fun, Mars? We should prank them! Hmm…I wonder where Snivellus is right now…"

Marlene's frown deepened with each word that came out of Sirius' mouth. "Is there anything you want to talk about, Sirius? For instance, what has prompted you to want to wreak havoc upon your unsuspecting fellow students right this instant, without the rest of the Marauders?"

"No." Sirius said shortly, with a quick shake of his head.

"Uh-huh…" Marlene said slowly nodding her head. "You know, I was talking to Remus this morning at breakfast."

"Were you really?" Sirius asked, failing to show any kind of interest at all.

"Oh yes. It was at breakfast. You probably wouldn't know about it, because you weren't at breakfast anymore by the time I got there." Marlene replied.

"This is true." Sirius said with a nod. "You know, you sleep an awful lot, Marlene. You should see Madame Pomfrey about that. It might not be good for your health."

Marlene ignored him. "And Remus had an interesting story to tell me when I asked him where you were. Apparently, you got a rather ominous-looking letter this morning, which you did not open immediately, instead abandoned your breakfast and left the Great Hall rather suddenly with no explanation for where you were going, even though your concerned friends did ask. And, rather loudly, or so I'm told."

"Remus is a rather good storyteller." Sirius acknowledged. "He should look into a career in it."

"I'm sure he'll look right into it once you tell him that." Marlene said dryly. Then, "What'd your parents want, Sirius?"

"Erm…what?" Sirius asked, a bit takenaback by the sudden change of subject.

"What did your parents say in the letter they sent you this morning, Sirius?" Marlene asked slowly. "I know it was from them, don't even try to deny it."

"Why would you think it was my parents?" Sirius asked, trying to sound innocent, but failing. "They don't like me enough to send me mail."

"True." Marlene replied. "But Andromeda and Mr. & Mrs. Potter wouldn't send you mail that was 'ominous-looking' as Remus put it. So, spill. What'd they want with you that was so important that it made them break their vow of silence to you? Because whatever it is, it's made you quite reckless for this early in the week."

With a defeated sigh, Sirius sank deeper back into the red velvet couch. "They've asked me not to come home for Christmas this year. They said they'd rather spend it with people whose company they actually want to be in."

"There're some prime candidates for the best parents of the year award, right there." Marlene informed him.

"I really hope you're joking." Sirius said a bit darkly.

"'Course I'm not." Marlene informed him. "You have no idea of the wonderful thing your parents have just done for me. I think I've just received the best Christmas gift ever. Make sure to thank your parents for me the next time you see them, will you, Sirius?"

Sirius merely looked at Marlene as if she had gone insane.

"Oh yes, that's right, you left breakfast this morning before I came in." Marlene said, more to herself than to Sirius. She focused in on him, however, before she continued speaking. "I had a letter from my mum this morning, too. She wanted to let me know that she and my dad are going to visit my older brother over the Christmas holidays this year. But honestly, Sirius, I'd rather not go visit my brother. He's the most annoying of the lot of them, if you ask me."

"Okay…" Sirius said slowly. "This makes you love my crazed parents why, now?"

"I'm staying at Hogwarts." Marlene replied, as if this was obvious. "There's no way I'm spending two straight weeks with my older brother. Now, the younger ones I can handle. Oh, and that other older one…but not the oldest one. No, definitely not him."

"Don't all of these brothers of yours have names?" Sirius questioned.

"'Course they do." Marlene replied. "I'm just much too lazy to remember them all. So, there we go then. You might have thought that your parents were out to ruin your life forever by their constant neglect and soul-crushing. When, in fact, they've just enabled us to wreak havoc upon our unsuspecting fellow students for two straight weeks. Isn't it marvelous?"

"I thought you didn't want me to wreak havoc upon people?" Sirius asked, confused.

"Well, I didn't." Marlene said. "But now I do."

"I am so lost." Sirius stated.

"Don't be." Marlene advised. "I know exactly what is going on. You can count on me."

__

Don't give up

It's just the hurt that you hide

When you're lost inside

_I…I will be there to find you_


	5. Fifth Year

********

Fifth Year

"I shouldn't have done it." Sirius muttered. "Well, it's not like he didn't deserve it…but Evans didn't deserve to lose him…I suppose."

"I didn't know you cared that much." Marlene responded from her position next to him on the couch in the Gryffindor Common Room, which was deserted, save for the two of them. Everyone else was outside enjoying the beautiful weather before going home in two days. "You're supposed to hate Snape, remember?"

"I do hate Snape." Sirius replied. "I hate him a lot. But if I hadn't told James that I was bored, then he wouldn't have picked a fight with Snivelly to show off for Evans, and then Evans wouldn't be refusing to speak to Snivelly right now. I can't say I know _why_ they're friends, but they are. And I feel like it's my fault that Evans is losing her best friend."

"You shouldn't blame yourself, Sirius." Marlene said firmly. "For all you know, you could be doing Evans a favor. Remember that there's a reason you hate Snape, and you know what his friends are like. Evans is much better off not getting mixed up with someone who's part of _that_ crowd, no matter how long they've been friends."

Sirius opened his mouth to respond, but Marlene cut him off.

"Let's just forget this ever happened, Sirius, OK?" Marlene asked him, almost pleadingly. "Let's talk about something else for a while. I don't trust you on your own just yet."

"Fine…What do you want to talk about?" Sirius said a bit curtly.

"Well…let's see…how do you think you did on your O.W.L.'s?" Marlene asked him.

"I think I did fine." Sirius said shortly.

"I see…" Marlene said slowly. "And what classes do you want to take next year? What career are you looking to go into?"

"I want to be an Auror." Sirius said, for the first time sounding as if he was really into the conversation. But that only lasted a moment, his face falling back into it's morose expression. "But the ministry would never take me seriously—don't even think about saying it Mars. They'd only see my name, and it won't matter how much gold my father's given them over the years. They'll either see me as the son of a dark wizard, or the almost disowned son of someone who is filling their pockets with gold faster than they can count it all. They won't see me for who I am."

"I can make them see you." Marlene offered brightly. "I need a good challenge. Besides, the Ministry would be idiots to not accept you."

"Marlene," Sirius said, shaking his head at her. "When will you learn? The Ministry is full of idiots. Haven't we already established that they work off of a policy of pure bribery?"

Marlene grinned at him. "That's why we're going to make them change. For good."

__

Don't give up

Because you want to burn bright

If darkness blinds you

I…I will shine to guide you


	6. Sixth Year

**Disclaimer-I do not own Harry Potter, or the lyrics to You Are Loved (Don't Give Up) which is by Josh Groban.**

**Sixth Year**

"James hates me." Sirius said, sounding depressed as he stared unseeingly into the common room fire.

"You've mentioned that a few times." Marlene said absentmindedly as she turned a page in her Transfiguration book.

"So does Remus." Sirius continued.

"I know…" Marlene replied.

"And Peter." Sirius said. "Peter hates me, too."

Marlene looked up from the Transfiguration essay she had been writing, a concerned expression on her face. "Are you ever going to tell me what it was that you did to get the three of them to hate you so much? Or are you going to sit there moping about it until the summer holiday starts and I can finally get away from you?"

"They hate me." Was all Sirius had to say.

Marlene pressed her lips into a thin line. With a frustrated sigh, she practically slammed her book shut jumping to her feet at the same time. Sirius didn't so much as blink.

"You." Marlene stated, pointing one finger at Sirius. "Come with me. We're going for a little walk."

"Outside?" Sirius asked, his eyes widening in dismay when he finally turned to look at Marlene.

"Yes, outside." Marlene said shortly. "How much walking do you think we're going to get done in a crowded common room?"

"But _they_ might be outside." Sirius said, his eyes wide, almost as if in fear, but Sirius Black wasn't afraid of anything.

Marlene rose an eyebrow at him. With her arms crossed over her chest, a frown upon her face, and her foot tapping the floor impatiently, she glared at him, a thing she'd never done to him before. "Who cares? The chances of us running into them are as great as the chance that Evans will ever agree to go out with James. This room and your constant misery are making me claustrophobic."

With a reluctant sigh and a gloomy expression to match, Sirius stood up and followed Marlene out of the Gryffindor common room and out onto the grounds, dragging his feet all the way. Without once looking back to make sure that he was following her, Marlene confidently led the way to what appeared to be a secluded area next to the lake. It wasn't until she had settled herself onto the grass that she looked back at Sirius, who had plopped unceremoniously onto the grass beside her.

"I know you aren't going to tell me what you could have done to get your friends to hate you," Marlene began. "Which of course means you aren't going to explain why it's gotten you into such a rotten mood these past few days. And we've already established that that terrible moodiness has leaked into the rest of your life, causing you to be unable to draw joy from anything. So, I was thinking, since the year is almost over and all of that, what plans do you have for the summer?"

"The summer?" Sirius repeated admittedly takenaback by this change of tactics. "Well, um…I was thinking I wouldn't go to school."

"Well, that's just wonderful." Marlene said with a smile. "Neither am I. We just have so much in common, you and I. Are you doing anything else interesting?"

"I—" Sirius began but came to a halt immediately, frowning at the one person in the world he considered to be his friend at the current moment. "You know what else I wanted to do this summer. You were there when we planned it all."

"'Course I was." Marlene said, still cheerfully managing not to let Sirius' mood bring her down. "And we can still pull it off, just you and I."

"Care to enlighten me?" Sirius asked dully. "I don't know about you, but if I was a member of the Potter family, I might notice an extra person suddenly living in my home."

Marlene rolled her eyes. "You know that, no matter what, Mr. and Mrs. Potter would love it if you lived with them. Mrs. Potter is your aunt, after all. The way James might feel about you at the current moment wouldn't effect their opinions at all."

"I'd rather not live with a person who hates me, though, if it's all the same to you." Sirius replied.

"Well that's just perfect." Marlene declared. "Because I owled my parents just yesterday when your utter gloominess was insanely unbearable, and they would love it if you moved in with us this summer. We've got plenty of room, and they said you could move in any time. And if things should change and you make up with Remus, James, and Peter, then they said they wouldn't have any hard feelings at all about you moving in with the Potters, like you'd originally planned."

"They're never going to want to make up with me, you know." Sirius stated.

"Well, no. I don't know that. But what does it really matter right now?" Marlene said. "You've got me, and I'm not about to cut you out of my life. You're stuck with me."

_Everybody wants to be understood_

_Well I can hear you_

_Everybody wants to be loved_

_Don't give up_

_Because you are loved_


	7. Seventh Year

**a/n-Well, this chapter took just a bit longer to finish than I'd originally intended...but, anyway, Happy New Year! Hope you like the chapter!**

**disclaimer-I do not own Harry Potter or the song You Are Loved (Don't Give Up) which is by Josh Groban.**

**Seventh Year**

"You could just give me a little hint." Marlene suggested, tugging on Sirius' arm as they walked slowly around the lake together.

"No."

"Come on, just one itsy bitsy teeny tiny clue."

"No."

Marlene sighed at his adamant refusal and shook her head. "You know, this whole keeping secrets from each other thing is really putting a damper on our relationship. I don't know how we're going to last if you feel like you can't tell me things."

Sirius looked at her reproachfully. "So, what you're telling me, essentially, is that you'd rather I was cursed for all of eternity instead of you having to wait just another day or two to find out what's going to happen, just like everyone else."

"It depends." Marlene said slowly.

"On?" Sirius looked amused.

"On whether or not this curse you're talking about is going to effect your hair." Marlene replied. "Because I, for one, won't be able to survive eternity with you crying about what you might consider bad hair."

"Ha ha, so funny, Mars." Sirius said, mock laughing at her.

A huge smile lit up her face. "Now that's more like it, I haven't heard you laugh like that in days…weeks, even." She paused, concern now etched across her face. "What's bothering you, Sirius?"

"We don't need to talk about it." Sirius muttered, turning his face away from her and quickening his pace.

Marlene stopped walking suddenly causing Sirius, whose hand she was still holding, to come to a halt as well, though he didn't turn to look at her.

"Yes, we do, Sirius." She stated. "We've always talked about all of our problems together, and that hasn't changed now."

"We haven't always talked about _our_ problems." Sirius contradicted immediately. "We talked about _my_ problems with life, and you suffered through it all."

"That's what you think?" Marlene asked him, after tugging on his arm until he turned around to face her. "Have you ever considered that maybe I like helping you?"

"Why though?" Sirius replied. "There's nothing in it for you."

"'Course there is." Marlene said offhandedly. "As long as you stop keeping secrets from me—such as what's really bothering you—then you and I are going to be together forever, because I know everything about you. You don't want the rest of the world to know about your talking stuffed bear, now do you?"

"Blackmail." Sirius said, his eyes narrowed.

Marlene smiled lightly at him. "Why yes, Sirius Black, yes it is."

Sirius shrugged. "It doesn't matter, anyway. I still don't want to talk about it."

With this final word, Sirius attempted to continue walking, but in a surprising show of strength for such a small person, Marlene held him back.

"You aren't going anywhere until we've talked about this." She said firmly. "Now, you either tell me what it is, exactly, that is bothering you, or else we will stand here for the rest of eternity until you do tell me."

"Then you had better get comfortable." Sirius muttered.

"Sirius," Marlene said, almost pleadingly. "I don't understand why you just won't tell me what's bothering you."

"It doesn't matter." Sirius said. "Why can't you just drop it? In fact, if we can just forget about the past five minutes forever, I promise I'll tell you what the Marauder's Final Hogwarts Prank is going to be."

"Really?" Marlene asked, her eyes lighting up.

"Really." Sirius confirmed. "So, do we have a deal?"

"No." Marlene replied shortly. "Bribery doesn't work on me."

"What if I proposed?"

A small frown creased Marlene's face at his words. "Don't joke about something like that, Sirius." She reprimanded him.

"I knew you didn't really care anyway." Sirius muttered under his voice so softly Marlene almost didn't catch what he said, but hear it, she did.

Marlene pursed her lips and shook her head at her boyfriend. "I do care." She informed him curtly. "In fact, I care so much that I've already figured out what's wrong. Something's been bothering you for weeks, and it's the fact that Seventh year is almost over. It's just like back in fifth year, isn't it? You're worried about the world outside of school not seeing you for who you really are. You don't think you're good enough, do you, Sirius?" Without waiting for a reply, she continued on. "See, that's the thing about you, Sirius. You grew up being constantly told how much better than you your younger brother was, and all because you held different values from the rest of your family. And, for the most part, you really didn't let it effect you, because you wanted to be different. You didn't want to end up like the rest of your family. And then you came to Hogwarts and you proved that you really are different, and it made you so much better than the rest of them. I can see how much better than them you are."

"Yeah?" Sirius said in a challenging tone. "Well, what about the rest of the world? Don't tell me that everyone else in the world can see that I'm different from my family."

"Maybe they do." Marlene said with a shrug. "But how are you going to know if you don't get out there and find out for yourself?"

Sirius glowered at Marlene for a moment. "I hate how you always see through me."

Marlene grinned cheekily at him. "It's what I'm here for."

"And I'm sorry that I always seem to pour all of my problems onto you. You really don't need to put up with it, you know." Sirius continued.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I can vent to you whenever one of my stupid brothers annoys me, like they often do." Marlene told him. "Everybody needs someone to talk to, Sirius. And that's what we have each other for."

_You are loved_

_Don't give up_

_It's just the weight of the world_

_Don't give up_

_Everyone needs to be heard_

**a/n-To find out more about Marlene's brothers and why Sirius would be cursed for all eternity if he told the Marauder's prank, go read the story Si Fecisti Nega! If you did it, deny it! which I'm co-authoring with An-Jelly-Ca under the pen name SiRiUsLyPiNkAnDgReEn.**

**One more chapter to go...**


	8. Epilogue

****

a/n-well, this is is: the last chapter. I hope you liked the story. I must say, this was rather depressing to write. However...if you go to my profile and click on the link for SiRiUsLyPiNkAnDgReEn, you can read the marauder-era stories I'm co-authoring with An-Jelly-Ca, which are not in the least bit depressing in any way. Happy reading!

disclaimer-Nothing is mine.

Epilogue

He couldn't believe it was true.

Dumbledore had called an emergency meeting of the Order of the Phoenix in the middle of the night, and when he hadn't seen Marlene there, he'd automatically assumed she'd slept through the summons. It was something she was very well known for.

But then Dumbledore had entered the room, and Sirius had seen the grave expression upon his face. Something was wrong, very wrong. For the first time he could remember, Sirius thought Dumbledore looked even older than he was. And as his former headmaster had sunk into his chair at the head of the table and silence had fallen upon the group, Sirius had seen how Dumbledore's shoulders had sagged. In that instant before Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak, Sirius had known that his life was about to change forever. He didn't know how he knew…he just did.

Even now, hours later, Sirius shuddered at the memory of those fateful words Dumbledore had spoken.

There had been a Death Eater attack. And it wasn't just the Death Eaters; Voldemort had gone with them as well this time. Their target: the McKinnon family.

Marlene was dead, along with the rest of her family. Marlene and her parents and her brothers. Dead, all of them.

Sirius just couldn't believe it. The little girl he'd met more than a decade ago, who had grown with the years into the woman he loved, was gone forever. Voldemort had killed her. Sirius felt as if he was all alone in the world. Yes, he still had James and Remus, and Peter too, when he was actually around, but it just wasn't the same. Marlene had understood him like no one else ever had. She had been the one to stick with him through thick and thin, had listened to his constant hardships that now seemed so menial in comparison to this.

They hadn't told anyone yet, but Sirius and Marlene had been planning to get married. It would have been a small wedding, just the Marauders, Marlene's family, James' parents, and maybe even Sirius' cousin Andromeda. And they would have been happy, too. Marlene was meant for Sirius; she had been like his other half. And now she was gone. There was no one left, and Sirius just didn't know how he was going to go on without her.

Everything had been so much simpler back in school. The only things he had to worry about back then were not sleeping through class, getting away with the many pranks he had pulled, and not actually getting on McGonagall's bad side. There was nothing to be afraid of when you were safe in school, protected by the one person it was rumored that this newest dark lord was afraid of. Being at Hogwarts was safer than living in your own home, there was no danger of being attacked by death eaters at school. Sirius wished more than anything else that he could just go back to the days when he was still at Hogwarts.

Even now, he sat in his darkened apartment, not seeing anything in the dim light but the picture he held in his hands. It was of he and Marlene on their very last day at Hogwarts. Marlene had brought it by just two days ago, the last time he had seen her. It all seemed so long ago, now. Looking down at their smiling faces, Sirius couldn't remember ever feeling so happy in his life as he did whenever Marlene was around him. He would never feel that way ever again, of that he was sure.

__

Don't give up

_You are loved_


End file.
